Bihar poll: 53% voting despite Maoist boycott call

PATNA: Barring some stray untoward incidents, the second phase of polling in Bihar’s 45 constituencies passed off peacefully, with 53% voters exercising their franchise on Sunday. The high turnout is considered significant as the Moists had given a call for poll boycott, besides triggering a land mine blast which killed six policemen in Sheohar district on Friday. But the electorate rebuffed the boycott call, turning up in strength in some of the Naxal-affected constituencies.

Alarmed by the blast, the Election Commission had even reduced the poll timing in the Naxal-hit constituencies like Sheohar, Belsand, Minapur, Paroo and Sahebganj. At these places polling was held between 7 am and 3 pm — against the normal closing time of 5 pm.

Strikingly, Paroo registered 62% polling, followed by Minapur, which recorded 54% polling . The turnout in Sheohar and Belsand was 49% and 48%, respectively. Sahebganj registered 52% voting. The state chief electoral officer Sudhir Kumar Rakesh said the polling was by and large peaceful and the turnout was more than heavy in several constituencies. Over 120 persons were arrested to ensure a peaceful ballot, he said. Mr Rakesh said 118 preventive arrests were also made for a smooth conduct of the polling.

Altogether, 623 candidates, including 46 women, were in fray in 45 constituencies spread over six districts, which are East Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Samastipur. In East Champaran , a record 58% voters exercised their franchise.

In the first round of polling, held in 47 seats on october 21, the voting percentage was 56%, a notch higher than what was recorded on Sunday. Compared to voter turnout of 46% in November 2005 assembly polls, the two phases have recorded a much higher turnout.